Do we really need stadium comfort improvements?

Disclaimer: I started going to games in the Rockpile in the 60s, so I come from a different era.

I understand the need to improve the Ralph for engineering safety and integrity purposes - 40 years is old for a concrete structure.

But do we really need wider concourses, more video screens and try to make the stadium more in line with the new stadiums being built?

I've not heard many people say they don't go to games because its too crowded or too hard to see the replays. It's not the most comfortable place, but I prefer to get to my seat and stand there and scream for three hours and then slide on out. If I want comfort I stay in my comfy living room. I kinda like our stark, old school stadium! I'm going to watch football, not the friggin opera!

And we aren't competing with Indy or Dallas or Jersey for where we choose to watch a game, so why do we need to upgrade the stadium to try and keep up with those cities?

Just seems like the stadium improvements could easily be limited to what is necessary to maintain the structural safety of the Ralph and leave it at that. If we do keep the team here long term, a new stadium is going to be needed eventually, so why spend the extra bucks for comfort improvements now?

Just wondering if I'm in the minority and most people (who actually attend the games) feel we need to improve the comfort factor at the Ralph.

If you have ever been in the concourse under the upper deck(specifically at half time or after a game)...YES, the concourses need to be widened! Who says they are trying to compete with Dallas, Indy amd the Meadowlands in terms of stadium quality? I haven't heard that, want that, nor can they afford that.

I see your point about the crowded upper deck, but I'll refine my question: is it really necessary to spend the tax dollars now to improve a stadium that has no long term future? I'm assuming this stadium will not be feasible to maintain after another 10 years.

NFL stadiums have to compete with 5.1 surround, 1080i, running commentary, replays, an on-screen vantage point that trumps ANYTHING you would get at a stadium, toilets that are both clean and only 15 feet away, a comfy couch in a climate-control living room, WHATEVER food you want WHENEVER you want it, as much beer/liquor you can drink, as many drugs as you can take, as many cigarettes as you want to smoke, etc. etc. etc.

Typical Buffalo MO would be to spend millions to dress up an older building instead of creating something new. They need to just go for it, build a multi-use regional stadium with a retractable roof that is a crown jewel of WNY. I'm tired of it...get in the big leagues or get out.

The Bills haven't released the study they paid for, so all we know about the improvements is the price tag. Interestingly, the County seems to be parroting the same pricetag the Bills are - $200 - $220 million. Obviously, the County hasn't objected to the scope of work outlined in the study, which tells me the upgrades are relatively modest and justified.

The only thing I would want is to get all the seats closer to the field, have only ten yards separating the front row from the field.

Have you ever been to Ralph Wilson Stadium??? (Serious question.) I used to have sideline seats in row 3 at the 20-yard line - at that part of the field, the front row IS roughly 10 yards from the field.

The seats at RWS are already as close as logistically possible to the field of play. (Unless you have another idea about where to put the players bench, and plan to get rid of the cheerleaders.)

The Bills haven't released the study they paid for, so all we know about the improvements is the price tag. Interestingly, the County seems to be parroting the same pricetag the Bills are - $200 - $220 million. Obviously, the County hasn't objected to the scope of work outlined in the study, which tells me the upgrades are relatively modest and justified.

Typical Buffalo MO would be to spend millions to dress up an older building instead of creating something new. They need to just go for it, build a multi-use regional stadium with a retractable roof that is a crown jewel of WNY. I'm tired of it...get in the big leagues or get out.

I don't understand why everyone thinks we need wider concourses at the Ralph, and yes I have been in there at peak crowding. Sure, you might be a little closer to people than you want to be for a few seconds but its such a minor part of the gameday experience and even though it's crowded I've never had trouble getting out of the stadium in a timely fashion, which is all I really care about when I'm in the concourse. I also don't understand how we need wider concourses now, but somehow they were fine 20 years ago when the stadium had 7,000 more seats.

NFL stadiums have to compete with 5.1 surround, 1080i, running commentary, replays, an on-screen vantage point that trumps ANYTHING you would get at a stadium, toilets that are both clean and only 15 feet away, a comfy couch in a climate-control living room, WHATEVER food you want WHENEVER you want it, as much beer/liquor you can drink, as many drugs as you can take, as many cigarettes as you want to smoke, etc. etc. etc.

All that and you don't have to deal with the drunk chain smoking fan next to you...

"Typical Buffalo MO would be to spend millions to dress up an older building instead of creating something new. They need to just go for it, build a multi-use regional stadium with a retractable roof that is a crown jewel of WNY. I'm tired of it...get in the big leagues or get out."

I don't understand why everyone thinks we need wider concourses at the Ralph, and yes I have been in there at peak crowding. Sure, you might be a little closer to people than you want to be for a few seconds but its such a minor part of the gameday experience and even though it's crowded I've never had trouble getting out of the stadium in a timely fashion, which is all I really care about when I'm in the concourse. I also don't understand how we need wider concourses now, but somehow they were fine 20 years ago when the stadium had 7,000 more seats.

Try being under there at halftime trying to get to a concession stand, restroom, or to the exterior walkway of the stadium. Human gridlock, and no, it is not for a few seconds. Who said it was fine 20 years ago?

Typical Buffalo MO would be to spend millions to dress up an older building instead of creating something new. They need to just go for it, build a multi-use regional stadium with a retractable roof that is a crown jewel of WNY. I'm tired of it...get in the big leagues or get out.

Typical TSW MO...completely disregard the financial impact of building a new stadium. Just build it! Feel free to explain the "multi-use stadium" part of your post.

i may be off here , but i think the NFL drives alot of this push to level the " NFL Experience ". We are not Dallas though. We live in a tough environment both weather and economically. Most of dont need plush or fluff, just winning.
I could go for more cheerleaders though.
if a dome is ever proposed it would defeat the whole Buffalo mentality. i myself wish they still played in the mud. all of them. damn pansies those cowboys
I really could go for more cheerleaders though.

i may be off here , but i think the NFL drives alot of this push to level the " NFL Experience ". We are not Dallas though. We live in a tough environment both weather and economically. Most of dont need plush or fluff, just winning.I could go for more cheerleaders though.if a dome is ever proposed it would defeat the whole Buffalo mentality. i myself wish they still played in the mud. all of them. damn pansies those cowboysI really could go for more cheerleaders though.